Adjustable closure device for sports shoes

ABSTRACT

A stepless adjustable closure device, for sports shoes having two flaps to be releasably closed, has holding means connected to one of the flaps, a threaded arcuate spindle held by the holding means and carries a nut, and the holding means include journal means engaging the spindle on both sides of the nut, thereby restraining longitudinal movement of the spindle with the thread; the longitudinal position of the spindle can be adjusted by manual turning of the nut on the spindle thread.

[ Feb, 22, 1972 United States Patent Schoch S T N m MA n a E w T S e m HN U m U [54] ADJUSTABLE CLOSURE DEVICE FOR SPORTS SHOES [72] Inventor:

:22?" Smgen 2,706,648 4/1955 Gosse 3,182,366 5/1965 Teufel..........36/50 2 Lange.............................24/68 SK UX Matheme [73]Assignee: Weinmann Aktiengesellschatt, Schaffhausen, Switzerland June30, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 837,680

Primary Examiner-Bemard A. Gelak Att0rney-Ernest F. Marmorek [22] Filed:

ABSTRACT A stepless adjustable closure device, for sports shoes havingto be releasably closed, has holding means connected to one of theflaps, a threaded arcuate spindle held by S D. a fl o m w [t 2 7 l 8 O 67 1 P. mm a M y M H" mm m a mm e PG A .1 6 m9 l. 5 U u J 24/70 SK theholding means and carries a nut, and the holding means in- 21/00 A43911/00 elude journal means engaging the spindle on both sides of the14/63 68 69 5K, 69 ST, nut, thereby restraining longitudinal movement ofthe spindle with the thread; the longitudinal position of the spindlecan be adjusted by manual turning of the not on the spindle thread.254/77, 79, 67; 269/228 [51] Int.

[58] Field of 24/69 T, 70 SK, 70 ST, 71 SK, 271, 270, 279; 285/311, 365,409, 410, 366; 36/50, 2.5 AL;

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Pafmtnrzezz m2 INVENTOR:

ekwjcuocn, His ATTORNEY.

ADJUSTABLE CLOSURE DEVICE FOR SPORTS SHOES The invention relates tosports shoes, and relates more particularly to ski boots of the buckleclosure type. Still more particularly, the invention relates to astepless adjustable closure device for buckle boots.

Ski boots are known, the upper of which includes two flaps, and one flapcarries one or several tension devices and the other a correspondingnumber of buckles to engage the tension devices. Such closure devicesusually are adjustable stepwise, in that the tension device usually isprovided with a series of notches in any of which the bracket may cometo rest. Reference is had, for instance, to German Pat. No. 1,075,014.

Adjustable closure devices of that type, however, have the disadvantagesthat they are not adjustable in a stepless manner.

It is accordingly among the principal objects of the invention toprovide a stepless adjustable closure device for sports shoes, such asski boots.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a steplessadjustable closure device that is easy to manufacture and simple tooperate.

It is afurther object of the invention to provide such a steplessadjustable closure device for sports shoes, the adjustment of which maybe carried out without any great effort and without any special skill.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the following specification and in part will be obvioustherefrom without being specifically referred to, the same beingrealized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

Broadly speaking, the instant invention provides two interengageableclosure members to be connected to the closing parts of a shoe or bodtand one of these closure members is carried by an arcuate threadedspindle that engages a nut and is embraced by journal means; in thisposition, the nut is substantially restrained from moving with thespindle longitudinally, but turning of the nut will move the spindlelongitudinally. Means may be provided for restraining the spindle fromrotating.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, of anembodiment in accordance with the instant invention applied to a skiboot;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly in section;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. I, but embodying a modification;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 4, but embodying amodification; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6- 6 of FIG. 1.

In carrying the invention into effect in one of the embodiments whichhas been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawing and fordescription in this specification, and referring now particularly toFIG. 1, an adjustable closure device 10 is provided that is connected toflaps 11 and 12 of a ski boot. A spindle 13 is carried by holding means,such a housing, 15. The spindle 13 carries an external thread on whichthere is engaged a nut 14. The spindle 13, as best shown in FIG. 1, isbent arcuately, substantially in conformity with the arc of a nonnalupper of a ski boot which, in turn, is bent in accordance with thecurvature of the wrist of a foot.

The nut 14 is turnable on the thread of the spindle 13. The housing 15defines two journal means and 21 for the spindle l3, and these journalmeans define therebetween a space that is open at least at one side formanual operation of the nut 14 for adjusting the position of the spindle13 relative to the housing 15.

Near the forward (right-hand side, FIG. I) end of the spindle 13, thereis tiltably connected a bracket 16, which forms one of the closuremembers of the adjustable closure device 10. The other closure member 17includes a tension element and a notch 18, into the latter of which thebracket 16 will come to rest, all as shown in FIG. 1.

When the members 16 and 17 are interengaged, as illustrated in FIG. 1,tension will be exerted between the flaps 11 and 12, to close them. Thehousing 15 may be made of steel sheet, for example stainless steelsheet, or similar sheet material, and is connected to the flap 12 byconnecting means, such as rivets 19. The other closure member 17 mayalso be connected to its flap l l by means of rivets.

The journal means 20 and 21 substantially restrain the nut 14 frommoving in the direction between the journal means 20 and 21. Thereby,there is restrained the longitudinal movement of the spindle 13 carryingthe nut. 14, longitudinally. For longitudinal movement of the spindle1.3, therefore, the nut 14 will need to be turned, as described in theforegoing.

The journal means 20 and 21 clear the thread of the spindle 13, so thatthe thread only engages the nut 14, and the journal means 20 and 21serve to restrain any but minor axial movement of the nut 14.

In order to restrain accidental rotation of the nut 14, there isprovided a washer 22, for instance made of synthetic resin, that isdisposed between the nut 14 and the journal means 20. A second similarwasher (not shown) may be inserted between the nut 14 and the journalmeans 21.

The housing 15 defines a hollow space 24 that receives the protrudingportion of the spindle 13. The journal means, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,may form part of the housing 15, and may be in the form of an oval ring(see FIG. 2) that has in both journals 20 and 21 an aperture for thespindle 13.

Where the spindle 13 is only bent a little, (FIG. 3) it may beadvantageous to secure the spindle against rotation about its axis. Thismay be accomplished, for instance, by forming on the spindle one (FIG.5) or two (FIG. 4) plane longitudinal surfaces 25 which are engaged by aguide 26 or guides securely mounted inside the space 24, in the housing15 to restrain rotation of the spindle 13.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tobe secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A stepless adjustable closure device, for use in connection with asports shoe having two parts to be releasably put in closing positionrelative to each other and including a first closure member connected toone of said parts,

comprising in combination,

holding means adapted to be connected to said other part,

an axially adjustable curved thread carrying arcuate spindle having atleast one longitudinal surface and being held by said holding means andbeing movable longitudinally for adjustment, a second closure memberconnected to said spindle and movable therewith and being adapted to emgage said first closure member under tension, said holding meansincluding two journal means spaced apart from each other and eachsurrounding said spindle sufficiently closely thereby substantiallyrestraining said spindle from moving laterally, said journal meansdefining therebetween a space open at least at one side,

an adjustable nut operative to support and engage the thread of saidspindle and being disposed in said space and being manually rotatablerelative to said axially adjustable thread by reaching through said openside into said space, whereby said spindle will be moved longitudinallyfor adjusting the position of said spindle and thereby the position ofsaid second closure member relative to said holding means,

and wedge means connected to said journal means substantiallyrestraining said nut from moving in a direction between said journalmeans, whereby said spindle will be substantially restrained from movingwith the nut longitudinally.

2. A stepless adjustable closure device, as claimed in claim 1, andmeans operable for restraining rotation of said spindle about itslongitudinal axis.

3. A stepless adjustable closure device, as claimed in claim 2, andengaging means connected with relation to said holding 5 means andengaging said plane surface of said spindle restraining rotationthereof.

1. A stepless adjustable closure device, for use in connection with asports shoe having two parts to be releasably put in closing positionrelative to each other and including a first closure member connected toone of said parts, comprising in combination, holding means adapted tobe connected to said other part, an axially adjustable curved threadcarrying arcuate spindle having at least one longitudinal surface andbeing held by said holDing means and being movable longitudinally foradjustment, a second closure member connected to said spindle andmovable therewith and being adapted to engage said first closure memberunder tension, said holding means including two journal means spacedapart from each other and each surrounding said spindle sufficientlyclosely thereby substantially restraining said spindle from movinglaterally, said journal means defining therebetween a space open atleast at one side, an adjustable nut operative to support and engage thethread of said spindle and being disposed in said space and beingmanually rotatable relative to said axially adjustable thread byreaching through said open side into said space, whereby said spindlewill be moved longitudinally for adjusting the position of said spindleand thereby the position of said second closure member relative to saidholding means, and wedge means connected to said journal meanssubstantially restraining said nut from moving in a direction betweensaid journal means, whereby said spindle will be substantiallyrestrained from moving with the nut longitudinally.
 2. A steplessadjustable closure device, as claimed in claim 1, and means operable forrestraining rotation of said spindle about its longitudinal axis.
 3. Astepless adjustable closure device, as claimed in claim 2, and engagingmeans connected with relation to said holding means and engaging saidplane surface of said spindle restraining rotation thereof.